Illuminated decorative device



Feb. 25, 1936. E. J. GRAF- 2,031,642

ILLUMINATED DECORATIVE DEVICE Filed Feb. 2, 1934 INVENTOR V ELMER J. GRHF svmaTi v ATTORNE'Y Patented Feb. 25, 1936 PATENT OFFICE ILLUMINATED DECORATIVE mzvrcr:

Elmer J. Graf, Roselle Park, N. 1., assignor to G. B. G. Corporation, Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 2 1934, Serial No. 709,459 14 Claims. ((1240-10) K This invention relates to ornamental devices which may be illuminated and especially adapted for' use as decorations on Christmas trees.

It has been the usual practice in the past to trim Christmas trees with festoons made up of lamp sockets carrying bulbs connected in series, each series being connected to a suitable socket associated with a standard electric light circuit, such circuits usually having a pressure of 110 volts. In the arrangement above described, the decorative efiects have usually been determined by the shape and color of the bulbs themselves. Where the trees are lighted in the manner described, the pulbs are very .apt to become broken, and when any one series is broken,

the entire group is rendered inoperative.

I have heretofore designed an ornamental illuminated unit made up of stamped or formed material, the stampings being provided with sockets for carrying baseless light bulbs whichfor each unit are all connected in series. By making the frame of the unit of thin metal, the entire unit is light, yet very strong. However, I do not wish to be limited to the use of metal, as some other heat-resisting material constructing the unit.

My present invention has for one of'its objects a construction somewhat similar to that just referred to, but in which the cost is materially reduced, while at the same time practically all of the ornamental efiects of my previous design are retained.

My present invention will be best understood by reference to the attached drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of one form of my new construction.

Figure 2 is a view of the back of Figure 1 with certain of the parts removed.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the device, with certain of the parts removed.

' Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1. i

Figure 5 is an end View of the terminal end of the lamp showing the special means for fastenmeans which is shown in Figure 1.

In the various views, wherein like numbers may be used in refer to corresponding parts, I and 2 represent the front and back parts of a casing. These parts are stamped outof sheet material, preferably tin although a suitable heat-resisting material other than metal can be used; in fact, one

part may be of metal and the other non-metallic, or both non-metallic, and each of'the parts I and 2 has complementary arms 3 arcuately formed and extending radially from the central portion or body of the casing. The two parts I.

and 2 are fastened together in any satisfactory manner, preferably'by a plurality of lugs 4, which are. shown as being on part I, and which are bent over the body portion 2 as clearly shown in Figure 2.

The central portion of the part 2 has an orifice 5 through which a single lamp bulb 6 may be passed. Securely fastened at the junction of the bulb and the stem of the lamp, as by a suitable heat-resisting cement, is an insulator l which is adapted to lie over and cover the orifice 5 in theback part 2 of the casing. As shown in Figure 8, the support insulator l is spaced a considerable distance from the bulb 6, and in some holder I is put in place, thereby forming a space 26 for a quantity of the cement.

Fingers '8 are thrown up from the body portionof the member 2' adjacent the periphery of the opening 5, and when the lamp bulb and its insulating support I have been placed in position, the fingers 8 are bent downwardly over the edge of the insulator, thereby locking the bulb securely in position to the back casing member 2. When both the members l and 2 are not made of metal, other locking; means may be used. I a

The front casing member I preferably has its central portion 9 formed or punched outwardly, and preferably this outwardly formed portion 9 is decorative in design as shown by the starshaped figure ID of Figure 1. In this star-shaped figure are a plurality of openings II which are shown triangularly in shape and which serve the purpose of allowing light from the bulb 6 to come through this central portion and at the same time provide ventilation for the heat generated by the lamp bulb.

As shown in Figure 1, the arms formed by the complementary portions 3 carry light-dispersing members I 2 which are in the shape of polygonally formed pyramids, the faces of which are broken up into surfaces triangularlyarranged in diminishing areas toward the apex as shown in Figure 9, where 28 and 29 are the triangulariy arranged faces, and I wish it to be understood that I claim only the specific form (of glass or crystal shown. 6

Each of the members I2 is provided with a shank l3 extending into the arms 3 and held therein in any satisfactory manner asby fingers M which are bent over the base faces of the members l2. One of the fingers l4 may be provided with a hole l5 for suspending the device by means of a wire passed through the hole l5. As an alternative, the insulator '1 may have a projecting portion IS with a hole I! therein for suspending. the device.

The portion l8 of the casing thearms 3 is arcuately forme pposite each of as shown more particularly in Figure 4, so as to act as a reflector of the light rays, thereby assisting the bulb in sending its light rays out through the arms and crystal dispersing members l2. 7

To further cheapen the construction of the device, I have found that very good results may be obtained by the construction shown in Figures 6 and 7, wherein an extension l9 may be provided on that part of the arm forming partof the back plate 2. The extensions l9 may be made triangular in shape as shown in Figure 6 to -member I.

simulate the plan view of the. pyramidshaped devices l2 of Figure 1. Preferably the upper end 20 of each projection is is bent slightly inwardly and the edges 2| may also be curved toward each other, so that light rays coming out throughthe arms will be reflected fromthe projections [9, it being understood that the extended portions l9 are treated or formed to present reflecting surfaces to'light rays.

In Figure Git will be seen that the central ornamental device is formed by punching slots 22 therein, leaving small supporting sections 23 to retain the ornamental device on the casing I Thus the slots 22'actto'allow the light to come therethrough as well as to emit heat from the single lamp bulb used in the structure.

- To further enhance the ornamental eflect of the device, the body portion and the arms 3-, both of soda and finely ground up glass of various colors, thereby giving a scintillating effect to the light rays emanating from the device, as well as tliose striking it from extraneous sources. It may be noted 'in passingthat the single lamp bulb 6 used in" this device is adapted to be operated directfrom a l10-volt circuit; thereby making each unit independent of the other, although if desired, several of the units may be connected in series by using a lamp adapted to be operated on a voltage equal to the supply voltage divided by the number of bulbs connected in series.

To still further enhance the ornamental effect, the bulbs themselves may be .of different colored glass to give the different color effects, now obtained by the differently colored bulbs as has been mentioned.

What I claim is:

1. A unitary decorative plural-part formed casing with means for fastening the parts together and having complementary integral tubular arms extending radially from the central portion of the casing, lighttransmitting members comprising polygonally formed pyramids of glass or the like, the faces device including a Y formed pyramids of glass or the like, the faces of which are broken up into surfaces triangularly arranged in diminishing areas toward the pyramid, said pyramids having shanks extending into said arms with means for holding said members in said arms, and a single lamp bulb located in the central portion for illuminating all of said members.

3. A unitary decorative device including a plu-, ral-part formed casing with means for fastening the parts together and having complementary integral tubular arms extending radially from the central portion of the casing, light-transmitting members comprising polygonally formed pyramids of glass or the like, the faces, of which are broken up into surfaces triangularly arranged in diminishing areas toward the pyramid, said pyramids having shanks extending into said arms with means for holding said members in said arms, said central portion of at least one ofsaid casing parts being bulged outwardly and a single lamp bulb located in the central portion for illuminating all of said members.

4. A unitary decorative device including a pin-l iarly arranged in diminishing areas toward the pyramid, said pyramids having shanks extendinginto 'said arms with means for holding said members in said arms, and a single lamp bulb located in the central portion for illuminating all of said members, said lamp bulb having an insulator permanently attached thereto and the in,-

sulator fitting over an orifice in on'of said cas- 8 parts with means for fastening said insulator to said casing parts. i

5. A unitary decorative device including a pin ral-partf formed casing with means for fastening the parts together and having complementa'ry integral tubulararms extending radially from the central portion of the casing, lighttransmitting members comprising polygonally formed pyramids of glass or the 1ike,;the faces of which are broken up into surfaces trianguiarly arranged in diminishing areas toward the pyramid, said pyramids having shanks extending into said arms with means for holding said members in said arms, and a single lamp bulb located in the central portion for illuminating all of said members said lamp bulb. having an insulator attached thereto and the insulator fitting over i an orific in one of said casing parts with means for fastening said insulator to said casing parts,

. said insulator being arcuately spaced away from the filament portion of the bulb and'having an ear for suspending the device.

6. A unitary decorative device including a plural-part formed casing with means for fasten- 76 ing the parts together and having complementary tubular arms extending radially from the central portion of the casing, light-transmitting members comprising polygonally formed'pyramids of glass or the like, the faces of which are broken up into surfaces triangularly ar-- ranged in diminishing areas toward the pyramid,

said pyramids having shanks extending into said arms with means for holding said members in said arms, the interior of the central portion of the casing opposite said sockets being curved to form reflecting surfaces, and a single lamp bulb located in the central portion for illuminating all of said members.

'7. A unitary decorative device including a formed casing having cooperative locking parts and also having integral tubular arms extending radially from the casing, a lamp bulb located at the central portion of the casing so as to send light rays through said tubular arms, and means located at the outer extremity of said arms for dispersing the light coming through said arms, said means'comprising polygonally formed pyramids of glass or the like, the faces of which are broken up into surfaces triangularly arranged in diminishing areas toward the pyramid.

8. A unitary decorative device including a formed casing having cooperative locking parts and integral tubular arms extending radially from the casing, a lamp bulb located at the central portion of the casing so as to send light rays through said arms, and means comprising an extension of a part of each of said arms for dispersing the light coming through said arms, said extensions being formed and treated so they will distribute light coming through the arms and impinging thereon.

9. A unitary decorative device for the pur pose described including a casing having a lamp bulb located substantially at the central portion of the casing, and having the stem of the bulb extending from the casing, whereby the unit may be screwed into a socket said casing having openings around its periphery through which light rays from said bulb may pass, and light-dispersing member portions extending beyond the opening at one side thereof so formed as to disperse the light coming through said openings.

10. In a device of the character described including, a casing having an opening through which the bulbportion of a lamp may be passed, and light-dispersing means carried by the casing, a single lamp for the source of light and means for holding the lamp within the casing with the stem of the lamp projecting outwardly away from the casing, said means comprising insulating means securely and permanently anchored to the lamp and also fastened to the casing, whereby a complete unitary structure is formed for direct attachment to a socket.

11. In a device of the character described including, a casing having an opening through which the bulb portion of a lamp may be passed and light-dispersing means carried by the easing, a single lamp for the source of. light and means for holding the lamp within the casing with the stem of the lamp projecting outwardly away from the casing, said means comprising an insulator securely and permanently anchored to the stem of the lamp and curving awayfrom the bulb into a flange fitting over the opening in the casing and fastened thereto, whereby a complete unitary structure is formed for direct attachment to a socket.

12. For a device of the character described, including a casing and a plurality of light-dispersing means carried by the casing and positioned at arcuately spaced points. around the casing; an illuminating unit including a lamp structure comprising; a bulb, a, metallic stem and separate insulating means permanently anchored to the lamp structure; said insulating means adapted to serve as the means for mounting the lamp within the casing so the stem of the lamp projects away from the casing for the purpose described.

13. In a device of. the character described including, a casing having a plurality of arms extending a substantial distance from the casing, light-dispersing members carried by said arms, a single lamp for the source of light having its bulb positioned within the casing and having its stem projecting outwardly through an opening in the casing for attaching the entire device to a socket, the portion of the casing surrounding the opening through which the stem projects being of insulating material.

14. A unitary decorative device especially adapted for Christmas tree use consisting of an and positioned at arcuately spaced points around the enclosure so as to be illuminated by said bulb when current is applied thereto. 1

i ELMER J. GRAF. 

